Two?

"It's a good thing you boys got here when you did. Smith would have died from the infection that was spreading quickly. Luckly, I still had enough radiation in me to use my healing powers to help that poor boy," the medic lady said to Eric and Vincent.

She was a middle-aged woman with long, curly hair. Her hair was a maroon color. Compassion could always be seen in her eyes. That was refreshing in this new world.

In this world, you are looked at as a number or tool for someone else to use. It was nice to see someone not changed by society's injustice. Someone who still looked at people like they were people.

"Was that the reason he had a hard time breathing?" Eric asked.

"Why, yes. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. Most would have died from an infection from a razor rat in the amount of time it took for you three to get here. He needs to take a week to recover. Even though I healed him, he is going to be exhausted. His body was fighting off death."

The three boys gave their report to the medic on what happened. After the paperwork was finished, they were allowed to leave to head back to the barracks.

Eric and Vincent took the next week to spend most of their time at the training center to work on their using their powers. They were used to living in the cities or towns that have soldiers posted there to keep the beast at bay. The run end with the razor rat woke them up to the dangers there are in the new world and how weak they really are.

They got lucky last time. Normal people living in cities and low-ranking soldiers usually fall victim to razor rats. They somehow got out of that situation with only one person injured, which is a miracle.

Vincent also took this training time to check out the girls. Since he became a teenager, he has girls on his mind all the time. Now he needs to show off if he could see which one would be his lucky girl. If only that were true, though.

Eric would go to check on Brandon Smith several times a day. Just to see if he was ok or needed anything. Eric felt bad for him. He has no one in his life. Eric at least had his mother. Sometimes he had Vincent, unless it involved him trying to get a girl, which never worked out. Nevertheless, Vincent never stopped trying.

Eric was now Level 4. By the end of the week, both he and Vincent had better control and use of their powers. Eric's system profile showed the following:.

<Level 4>

<10 80 EXP>

<Attack 8>

<Defense 8>

<Dexterity 7>

<Stamina 8>

<Radiation 10>

< HP 40/40>

<RP 65>

Eric physically felt stronger and faster than before. He has always been lightly chubby. Now the chub was gone. He didn't have a six pack or anything, but his stomach was flat, and all his muscles were slightly bigger. He even noticed that his powers were stronger.

Eric was amazed by the power of the system. It made the idea leveling up addicting. Something that was on his mind most of the time.

When Smith was allowed to be physically active again, he was eager to go to the training center. While everyone was getting ready in the morning for the day, Smith went and got Eric's attention.

"Eric, I got good news!" Smith said enthusiastically.

"O, ok. What is it?" Eric asked, getting caught off guard by someone so happy in the morning.

"Our, I mean, my powers opened a couple of days ago. I can be useful now."

"What!?!? What do you mean a couple of days ago? Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Well, I couldn't do anything with them then, and I wanted to keep it a surprise for when we could all go to the training center," Smith said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Alright, lets go. Vincent said today he's going to land a girl, so he won't be with us. Anyway, what is your power?"

"Well, I want to show you first."

They both got finished getting ready. Put on their uniforms and boots, then darted out the door. As soon as they walked into the training center, Smith spoke up.

"We need to make sure we have enough room."

This made Eric wonder.

"If he needs room, what kind of power does he have?" Eric thought to himself.

They found a spot that looked good. There was plenty of space between them and other people training. They stood twenty feet away from each other.

"I'll just be defensive. I want to see what you can do." Eric said, trying not to look too excited.

Smith placed his hands in front of himself, not touching but forming a cup shape. After a few seconds, something that appeared to be a tornado formed in his hands. He pushed his hands forward, and the tornado disappeared, and a massive gust of wind shot out coming toward Eric.

Eric got knocked back by the wind, stumbling a few steps backward. It was like getting his by an invisible wall.

"That's amazing. You have wind abilities!" Eric said it with excitement.

He knew how awesome and amazing this was for Smith. As someone who grew up as a nobody and finally getting a power that is useful. It gives hope. Eric felt that way too when the system found him.

"Is that it, or is there more?" Eric said, hoping that there was more to come.

"Yeah, I got one more thing," Smith replied.

Smith raised up his arm and threw his arm down across his body, like doing an exaggerated karate chop.

"Wind slice."

You could barely see it. A crescent-shaped form of wind came thrusting out with such great speed. Eric only had enough time to lean his body to the side and twist to escape from the attack.

As it went by, Eric felt a tremendous amount of wind moving his hair and uniform. If he would have gotten hit by that, he might have died. Or worse, survive and wish he would have died.

Eric's eyes widen. "Smith, you are a force to be reckoned with. I'm glad you're in my squad."

Smith smiled. He wasn't used to praise. The smile disappeared as fast as it appeared. As soon as Eric noticed that, he felt a hand on his left shoulder.

Eric turned his head slightly and peered out of the corner of his eye to see who it was. He saw another student with curly red hair. It was Blake Lowery. The guy who opened a lightning power at the opening stone.

"What does he want?" Eric thought.

Before that thought could be finished Acer walked by on his right. He was headed straight for Smith.

"Wait, what's…"

Eric was interrupted by Lowery, "Shhh. This doesn't concern you. Just stay calm."

Eric got the message that Lowery was saying, trying not to make a scene.

"So, Smith, I see you have opened your ability. Congratulations," Acer said, sounding not impressed.

"Uh. Thank you," Smith said, confused with what's happening.

"I've come for your answer. The trash needs someone to take care of it. And that's going to cost."

"I. Uh. I've thought about it. My answer is ye…"

"NO!!!! Don't do it!" Eric yelled, cutting Smith off.

Suddenly, Eric could feel electricity going through his whole body from his shoulder. It was stinging and numbing. He fell to one knee, and with one arm, he could just barely muster up the strength to move forward to catch himself.

Acer turned around and walked toward Eric. He squatted down and looked Eric in the eye.

"It's hard to talk and use your abilities when lightning is coursing through your body, isn't it? Now, know your place, trash."

Acer stood up and faced Smith once again.

"Leave Carson alone. NOW!" Smith commanded, with fierce anger in his eyes.

A gust of wind came out slightly pushing on Acer.

"O, someone, has a power now and thinks he can play with the big boys, huh." Acer said mockingly.

"I said, NOW!"

Smith immediately threw out a wind slice, with his arm going across his body. Acer reacted quickly and created a knight's shield made of ice on his left arm to block it. When the crescent blade of wind hit the shield, a line of ice was chipped away.

Smith threw out another one and then another one.

"Leave. Him. Alone," Smith kept saying over and over. Unleashing a wind slice after each word.

Acer kept using his RP to repair his shield. The constant barrage of wind slices was chipping away at his shield at an alarming rate.

"How much radiation does he have? I need to stop this now," Acer thought.

He formed a floating ice spear in his right hand. In between the wind slices, Acer took his chance and hurled it at Smith. 

Smith, not even as much as missing a beat, threw out a wind slice at the ice spear. When the two attacks collided, the ice spear shattered into ice shared.

All the while, Smith kept saying, "Leave. Him. Alone."

Eric couldn't believe his eyes. Smith is holding his own. Now that he has powers, he might just be a monster. But a monster on his side is always a good monster. He wished he could help. His body would not, could not, obey his command with the lightning going through his body.

"Enough!" Acer shouted.

This time he created an even larger ice spear. Then launched it at Smith.

Smith responded by placing both arms above his head, making an X. He then threw his arms down, crossing his body. A barely visible X-shaped wind slice came out, colliding again with Acer's ice spear, ripping it to shreds and hitting his shield.

"Leave him alone. NOW!"

Smith's left hand had a small tornado in it, and his left hand was engulfed in flames. He placed his hand in the same cup position as before and thrust forward. A swirling tornado of fire shot out with immense heat.

It melted away Acer's shield and threw him back onto the ground.

Smith jerked, backed his right arm, and threw it forward like a punch.

"Wind hammer."

Then same with the left hand.

"Wind hammer."

It looked like Lowery got hit in the face. He fell back unconscious. Blood started dripping from his nose.

As Acer was lifting himself up, he too got hit in the face and fell back unconscious.

Smith ran over to Eric, "We're sorry. Are you ok?"

Eric still wobbly from the lightning stood up. "I'm fine, but we need to get out of here before people notice and ask questions."

Smith put Eric's arm over his shoulder and helped him out of the training center and to the barracks. The trip was quiet between the two of them.

"How does he have two abilities?" Eric kept asking himself.